Ryder the Love Expert | Protector 2.1

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

       "Where are you going?" Mom asked right as I was about to step outside of the house. "It's eight o'clock."

       "The dance studio," I lied.

       "This late?" Mom asked.

       "Well, yeah," I said. "Mae and I are working on a piece for the talent show at school and we've been finding it hard to find time to practice."

       I couldn't really tell my parents where I really was going. Dad might have been okay with it because he went to those places a lot when he was younger than me, but he was a dad now, so I didn't know if he would actually allow me to go.

       "Oh, okay," Mom said. "What time will you be back?"

       I shrugged. "Depends how long it takes." I left my house, making sure my house keys were with me just in case I came home really late and my family was sleeping.

       I wasn't taking my car with me because Earl was coming to pick me up, but he was picking me up a bit away from my house just in case my parents saw me getting into a car and wondered why I didn't take my own. Yeah, they would probably see my car in the driveway and wonder about that, but I'd already be at the party then.

       Besides, from what Earl told me, he usually needed someone to drive him home because he was always in a fight with his girlfriend and just had to drink. I was honestly surprised his girlfriend was still with him.

       Earl, like always, was having girlfriend problems and was going to a party to take his mind off of things. And because I needed to take my mind off of things as well, I was going.

       Earl was waiting at the spot I told him to pick me up. I got in the passenger seat and put on my seatbelt. "I'm guessing your parents don't approve of parties?" he asked.

       I shrugged. "Don't know, didn't tell them."

       Earl began driving to the party location. "So where did you tell them you were going?"

       "The dance studio to practice a duet with Mae," I said. "So, what's going on with you and Sabrina now? She still gave you another chance after the whole nothing can fix your face thing?"

       "Yes, she did," Earl said. "But then I ordered a salad for her when we went out for dinner."

       "Really?" I asked. "Did she tell you to order her something?"

       "Well....No," Earl said. "I was trying to be...."

       "Romantic, I get it," I said. "Just a heads up, if you want to do that, make sure you order her favorite meal and not just a salad. You do know her favorite meal, right?"

       "Yeah," he said. "Of course."

       "Does she get it every time you go to whatever restaurant you went to?" I asked.

       "Yeah," he said.

       "And you didn't order that because?" 

       Earl said. "I'm starting to see why everyone calls me the world's worst boyfriend."

       "Not the world's worst," I said. "A bad one, but not the worst."

       "Thanks," Earl said sarcastically.

       He soon got to the house where the party was, but he had to park further down the road because the driveway was crowded. 

       We walked in the house and the loud music began filling my ears. Earl immediately took off, probably to get some drinks and drown in his sorrows of his girlfriend being mad at him yet again.